Welcome to Quito

Monday

Feb 19, 2018 at 12:01 AMFeb 19, 2018 at 11:20 PM

Dawny G

I fly to Houston, where I meet Linda, and we fly to Quito, Ecuador together, arriving late at night. Natural Habitat Adventures (https://www.nathab.com/ ) has sent a driver to pick us up-- we just have to spot the sign. It's a raucous crowd for late night in an airport...a large swarm of happy people scanning faces for arriving friends and relatives, dozens of people waving signs at travelers emerging from customs

I'm struck by the bustle. I'm also struck by my need to gulp air. I'm attributing this to the long travel day. 'I'm so tired I can't even breathe,' I say to Linda. Behind me someone says, 'You're also at 9000 feet, which would make it hard to breathe if you're not used to altitude.' Oh yeah. That, too. I block out the memory of the travel clinic doctor. Adjustment to elevated air with less oxygen is normal, not to be confused with altitude sickness. I am fine.

I am especially fine when I see our Natural Habitat driver. We are a day early for our tour*, so en route to our hotel our driver gives us some suggestions for our first day's activities on our own. He advises us to take only yellow taxis drivers will approach tourists with offers, but only the yellow taxis are official. (Please note-- I took this trip before Uber and Lyft offered alternatives to taxis, and I don't know if those are available in Quito even as I write in 2018. What I do know is that I've paid a tour company for good guidance, so I'm taking his advice to heart).

He also jokingly asks us if we've exchanged our money for Ecuador currency. This is a joke because Ecuador uses American money. I can laugh because I checked that out before leaving home.Downtown Quito

Our driver suggests we use some of our free time to visit Old Town Quito and perhaps take a cable car ride to the top of a mountain for some spectaculars views... we make mental notes and hope to remember tomorrow...our first full day in South America.

* After inclement weather led me to leave Boston many hours late and miss the first day of my Portugal-Spain tour, I always try to go a day early to so I don't miss the start of a trip again.